opus 150 - battery flattening protection

**Jamez_Warner** · 06-07-2004, 05:15 AM

does the opus 150 kill power when the car battery drops below a certain voltage - i accidently left the update mode ( ignition wire high even with no ignition ) and came back to a completly dead battery - not even central locking worked.
so either im mistaken and it doesn't have protection or I have a dodgy unit?

James

**Confused** · 06-07-2004, 06:24 AM

I've found that the low voltage protection is set too low to be able to start the car again. I believe this is because the units main purchasers are people like the Police, where being able to use the computer is more important than being able to start the car.

There was a thread a few months back regarding changing the low voltage detection level, not sure what the outcome of it was though.

Garry

**Laidback** · 06-07-2004, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by Confused

I've found that the low voltage protection is set too low to be able to start the car again. I believe this is because the units main purchasers are people like the Police, where being able to use the computer is more important than being able to start the car.

That's not what it says in the manual though, is it?

**Confused** · 06-07-2004, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by Laidback

That's not what it says in the manual though, is it?

Good point!

The "used for police" thing was something i picked up from around here, so shoot them if they're wrong

But I have found that it has kept the computer running and the engine won't start

Garry

**Enforcer** · 06-07-2004, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Confused

I've found that the low voltage protection is set too low to be able to start the car again. I believe this is because the units main purchasers are people like the Police, where being able to use the computer is more important than being able to start the car.

That's great, it's more important for the police to use the computer to find out where you are being murdered than for them to be able to drive there.

**Laidback** · 06-07-2004, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Enforcer

That's great, it's more important for the police to use the computer to find out where you are being murdered than for them to be able to drive there.

More likely finding out where you last got a speeding ticket or something, I'm not sure murder is very high on their list!

**Jamez_Warner** · 06-07-2004, 08:57 AM

hmm ok the manual states it shoudl - it can't have powered down though it used ALL the juice, no locks, no lights, I couldn't even turn ignition on - pc must have run untill it crashed at 7v ish when the opus can't give out 12v anymore

Need to check this in an artificial test somehow, not sure my variable power supplies have enough power....

James

**rando** · 06-07-2004, 09:22 AM

Throw a couple of diodes on your 12v line in front of the opus. That should drop the voltage below 11v for you. Then just wait and see if it shuts down, or not.

**Jamez_Warner** · 06-07-2004, 12:02 PM

very good idea

just make a switch between straight 12v and the diodes - should be able to set a lower voltage

- either that or I run carpc off a little lead acid battery with a multimeter and see if it cuts out below 11v

**Nic** · 06-08-2004, 07:04 AM

not the same question but a similar one, the 90w model states that you can set a jumper to have it cut the power after the pc has shut down. this is not true of the 150w model though??